SolarBed Art Car

She sailed wonderfully well for year one!! Many happy passengers, easy to put together on the playa, no surprises. With more than 6 or 7 people, motors seem to slow/overheat, gotta go easy. Biggest issue! Particularly in the ruts, using the big caster wheels on the front was a bad idea. This summer will add doubled or limited travel casters... gotta make that ride smoother.

This year, after 11 years going to Burning Man, I finally hope to make and bring a fun little car. I'd like to give something back by building a silent solar-powered car that can carry a few people around on the Playa. No loud motor, no re-fueling. Solar cells on top will charge li-Ion batteries sufficiently during the day to let it run all night. Hopefully further inspiration for the electric revolution.

I've always liked the idea of a completely solar powered rig, given the sunlight on the playa, and also the idea that the solar cells provide much-needed shade while driving the car. And what better to be underneath those cells in the shade than... a big bed. Other art cars that are beds or flying carpets are often built on golf carts, so you end up with a steering wheel poking up through the 'mattress'. But if you direct drive the two rear wheels with electric motors and use caster wheels in the front, this thing can drive with a joystick and turn on a dime.

I'll use flexible solar cells on top of the canopy of a four-poster Cal-King bed, which should give me 600watts or more in daylight, enough to drive two wheelchair motors on 12 inch pneumatic wheels.

Here is the design drawing, I will add pics as I build it....